India's education system is renowned globally for its excellence, but the approach to learning has become a cause for concern. The relentless pursuit of high scores and academic achievement has turned education into a pressure cooker situation, leaving students burnt out and stressed.
As I reflected on my own educational journey, I was reminded of a poignant conversation with an esteemed educator at my doctoral graduation earlier this month. He shared his thoughts on the affective experience of education, highlighting the need for a paradigm shift in our approach to learning. His words resonated deeply with me, as I've long believed that pressured studying and the relentless pursuit of excellence can have devastating consequences.
The unrelenting pressure to excel academically in India has led to a disturbing trend, with addiction emerging as a tragic consequence. The intense emphasis on academic success has spawned a plethora of addictive behaviours among students, threatening to derail their lives. One of the main causal factors that maintains addiction is a lack of identity or a misconstrued sense of self. A big part of addiction recovery involves rebuilding one’s identity and self-esteem. When one’s identity is primarily interwoven around external validation such as high scores or specific lines of education, this can get in the way of abstinence.
Alarming statistics
The statistics are alarming: over 12,500 students succumbed to suicide in 2022, primarily due to academic stress and failure. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reports a 7 per cent increase in student suicides over the past decade, painting a grim picture of the mental health crisis gripping the nation. A recent study by the Indian Journal of Psychiatry found that a staggering 30 per cent of students in India experience academic stress, with over 20 per cent reporting symptoms of depression.
With parents and society often placing an inordinate emphasis on academic achievement, students may often feel unable to speak about their pressures to the family. When this pressure crosses the stress threshold, this can lead to stress releasing behaviours through unhealthy channels. This can range from addiction to substances to dangerous adrenaline driven activities such as dangerous driving. The moral threshold of what’s acceptable imminently becomes blurry, which can then lead to a lack of regard for law and consequent offending as well.
Addictive behaviours
However, academic pressure is not only taking a toll on mental health but also fuelling a surge in addictive behaviours. Students are increasingly turning to substances like prescription medications, nicotine, and illicit substances as a coping mechanism for their stress and anxiety. Furthermore, social media addiction, gaming addiction, and internet addiction are also experiencing a worrying upswing.
We need to promote mental health awareness and encourage open conversations about stress, anxiety, and addiction. By fostering a culture of empathy and understanding, we can help students feel less isolated and more supported. We also need to provide support systems, including counselling services, peer support groups, and extracurricular activities, to help students manage stress and develop coping mechanisms.
Support system
Moreover, parents, educators, and policymakers must work together to create a more balanced and supportive education system that prioritises student well-being over academic achievement. By doing so, we can help students navigate the pressures of academic life and emerge as confident, capable, and compassionate individuals. Psycho-education workshops for students helping them understand the correlation between academic pressure and addiction would also promote awareness.
Ultimately, it's time to redefine what success means in education. It's not just about scoring high grades or securing top ranks; it's about fostering resilience, building coping mechanisms, and developing a sense of purpose that isn't tied to achievement alone. By acknowledging the risks of addiction and promoting healthy habits, we can help India's students navigate academic pressures without sacrificing their mental health. By working together, we can create a brighter future where students thrive academically, emotionally, and socially — and are equipped to handle life's challenges without turning to addiction.
(The author is a multidisciplinary professional and practising psychotherapist who works in the UK.)